Beijing temple marks Confucius' birth anniversary

[Photo provided to China Daily]

More than 300 people attended an event to celebrate Confucius' 2,568th birth anniversary in Beijing on Sept 28.

The event took place at the Beijing Confucian Temple, where emperors from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties used to go to remember Confucius.

Some of the guests took part in traditional rites to remember Confucius.

Born in 551 BC, Confucius, a well-known Chinese philosopher and the founder of Confucian culture, has his birthday marked for more than 2,000 years.

Yang Yuedi, a student of the Confucius class from the Beijing 21st Century International School, took part in the ceremony for the first time.

"I learned about benevolence and righteousness, respect, and kindheartedness from Confucius' thoughts, and I'm trying to be a gentleman like Confucius," said Yang, the 5th grade student.

Dong Ting, the deputy secretary-general of the China Next Generation Education Foundation Chinese Study Education Research and Development Foundation, has been a volunteer at the ceremony since 2010.

"I felt honored to take part in the ceremony in 2010, and I've decided to follow Chinese culture since then," Dong said.

Now as the vice-president of the Eastern School, Dong brought students and their parents to the ceremony this year.

"I'd like to help develop and expand Chinese traditional culture."

The ceremony was also the closing event of the 21-day sixth edition of the Beijing Confucian Temple Guozijian Chinese Studies Cultural Festival.

More than 300 people attended an event to celebrate Confucius' 2,568th birth anniversary in Beijing on Sept 28. [Photo provided to China Daily]